Aen called out to me, choked up as if moved by something.
The Duke stared at me expressionlessly.
His gaze was frighteningly still.
I couldn't read any emotion in his blank face.
The eerie silence was more chilling than his previous stark anger.
As always, the calm before the storm is the most quiet.
"If the Captain and your intentions are so firm, I won't be able to stop you."
"......!"
Did it work?
"But you said it yourself. That you trust the Captain's choice."
"......"
What is it?
Why is he picking at my words?
I have a bad feeling about this.
Then, the Duke looked towards Ligrin.
"Ligrin."
"......Yes, Master."
"Open the door."
"......"
Open the door? What is he talking about all of a sudden?
"......Yes."
Ligrin, having received the order, headed towards the door.
His steps felt unusually heavy.
He paused for a moment in front of the door, and then-
Slam!
He flung the door open.
And immediately.
"Uwaaaack!"
Something fell inside.
A boy with white hair.
"Ah, Father."
It was Vansis Rodbel.
'Why is that guy coming out from there?'
The sudden appearance of Vansis is absurd.
But since everyone else except me doesn't seem very surprised, it seems I was the only one who didn't notice Vansis's presence.
By the way, that appearance.
'Anyone can tell he was caught eavesdropping.'
As if my thoughts were right, Vansis's face turned pale.
Thud.
"......!"
Even the door was closed.
"Vansis Rodbel. Get up."
"Ah, yes, yes!"
Flop!
Vansis, who quickly got up from his seat, immediately stood at attention.
The tips of his fingers were trembling.
If he was going to be this scared, why did he sneak around eavesdropping?
As if reading my thoughts, Vansis and I made eye contact for a moment.
'It's all your fault!'
His eyes seemed to be saying that.
Unbelievable.
Now he's even blaming me for his mistakes.
"Vansis."
"Yes, Father!"
"Who is your swordsmanship instructor?"
"Excuse me?"
Vansis, caught off guard by the unexpected question, asked back with a dazed look on his face.
"......"
And that was one of the things the Duke hated the most.
His gaze turned cold.
Vansis, realizing his mistake late, quickly shouted.
"It's the Captain of the Second Knights Order, Captain Zelach Mallid!"
Zelach Mallid.
I also know well about him.
The eldest son of Count Mallid, a family well-known for its knights.
A genius who took the position of Captain of the Second Knights Order of Rodbel at a young age.
And.......
I glanced to the side.
From the moment 'Zelach Mallid's' name was mentioned, Aen's face had hardened fiercely.
Of course. Zelach and Aen have a very bad relationship.
But why is his name coming up here?
As soon as I turned back to look at the Duke, our eyes met.
As if he had been looking at me all along.
He slowly parted his lips.
"Lucia, if you win a swordsmanship sparring match against Vansis in a week, then I will allow you to learn swordsmanship."
"......"
What nonsense is this again?
None of Rodbel's children have gone through this process to learn swordsmanship.
He's only putting me through this process.
"You can refuse if you want. I'm not forcing you. But if you refuse, I'll know your will is only that much......"
Know?
"......I'll get you another swordsmanship instructor."
"......Excuse me?"
I blurted out a dumbfounded sound for a moment.
So......
"What you're saying, Duke, is that even if I refuse the sparring......"
"You can still learn swordsmanship. However, you must give up learning from Captain Aen Lixus."
"......"
"But if you lose the swordsmanship sparring match, you cannot learn swordsmanship from anyone. The choice is yours, Lucia Rodbel."
"......"
These were strange conditions.
If I give up the swordsmanship sparring match, I won't be able to learn from Aen, but I'll be able to learn swordsmanship from another knight.
But if I accept the sparring match and lose, I won't be able to learn swordsmanship at all.
This is too......
'The purpose is clear.'
There's virtually no chance that I, a complete beginner who has never even held a sword, could win against Vansis, who is known as a swordsmanship genius.
Instead of losing the sparring match and not being able to learn swordsmanship at all, it's much safer to refuse the sparring match and learn swordsmanship from another knight.
Is he really just putting these conditions on me because he doesn't want me to learn swordsmanship from Aen?
But this is......
'It's also an action that could cause friction with Aen.'
Aen must have made it clear that he wants to teach me.
And if Vansis and I have a sparring match, it won't just be a sparring match between the two of us.
'It will become a battle of pride between the instructors.'
The losing side will be very upset.
Creating such an atmosphere wouldn't be good for Rodbel.
That's too different from the Duke's nature, which doesn't leave any room for anything.
'What on earth is it?'
I looked into his eyes, but I couldn't figure out what he was thinking.
Then......
"Yes."
I have no choice but to go my own way.
"I accept the sparring match."
"Milady."
"Hey, you......"
"......"
Aen and Vansis reacted at the same time.
Both of them looked at me with puzzled expressions.
It seems they didn't expect me to choose this option.
On the opposite side, Ligrin was shaking his head slightly.
It's a wrong choice. It goes against his advice.
Everyone is trying to dissuade me from my choice. Even Aen.
"......I don't understand."
"......"
"Are you a fool who can't tell right from wrong? Or do you really think you can beat Vansis?"
A subtle anger spread over the Duke's voice.
It seems he's getting angry because I'm not doing what he wants.
I politely put my hands together and answered.
"I don't think I can beat Vansis. Everyone in Rodbel knows that Vansis is a swordsmanship genius."
I could feel Vansis looking at me.
"Then why did you make that choice?"
"That's......"
I smiled brightly at the Duke and said.
"It's because I respect Captain Aen Lixus very much."
"......"
"So if I'm going to learn swordsmanship, I definitely wanted to learn from Captain Aen Lixus. That's all."
"Milady...... To think you think that much of me......"
I heard Aen's voice from beside me, sounding like he was about to cry.
He seemed very moved.
On the other hand, the Duke's gaze became even colder.
I guess he doesn't like my answer at all.
'So what.'
It's not like I gave that answer to please the Duke in the first place.
Nothing will change even if he hates me even more.
After a cold silence, the Duke parted his lips.
"If that's your will, then fine."
The Duke turned to Vansis.
"Vansis, how about it? Will you accept the sparring match?"
He's asking so quickly.
And it's a question with an answer that's already been decided.
"Yes, yes! I accept."
Just as I thought.
With his head held high, Vansis quickly spat out the answer the Duke wanted.
'As expected.'
The person Vansis fears the most in the world is Duke Ego Rodbel.
There's no way he could disobey.
'I feel a little sorry for him too.'
He's been caught up in it and will have a swordsmanship sparring match that he wasn't planning on.
"Fine. Then in a week, I will hold a sparring match between Lucia and Vansis. I'll talk to Captain Zelach Mallid."
Well, Zelach Mallid will welcome it with open arms.
He'll want to take this opportunity to put Aen down.
"The two of you can leave now."
At the Duke's dismissal, Vansis and I left the office.
But I had something to talk about with Aen, so I leaned against the wall in the hallway and waited.
Then, I felt a hesitant gaze from a short distance away.
When I looked over there, Vansis was staring at the air too unnaturally.
'What's wrong with him?'
If he's going to leave, he should just leave.
He's just being a bother by being there.
'Whatever.'
Then I'll just ignore it.
I lowered my head and thought about 'Zelach Mallid', Vansis's swordsmanship instructor and Captain of the Second Knights Order.
'A hateful human being.'
I remember Zelach Mallid very vividly.
Why wouldn't I?
'Finally dead, that bastard!'
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